PASL NW Playoffs: Pumas and Shock advance to Sunday’s Final

The way they did it could not have been any more different, but the one and two seeds have advanced in the PASL NW playoffs after Friday night’s action sees the South Sound Shock and Kitsap Pumas take their division semifinals over the WSA Rapids and Wenatchee Fire.

The Pumas kicked off earlier and doused the Wenatchee Fire 12:2 to ease into Sunday’s Final. The Shock were taken all the way to overtime penalty kicks before they won another thriller over the Rapids, this time 9:8.

Check back with us as we get details and photos of the action and look ahead to Sunday’s Shock-Pumas Division Championship matinee match at 1:00 PM in Gig Harbor.

The Fire of Wenatchee were outclassed by the Kitsap Pumas, who have now outscored the Apple City club 41-12 in three matches played over the years at the Olympic Soccer and Sports Center in Bremerton.

“Last night’s match was the most complete game the team has played the whole season,” Pumas support Chris Dixon tells goalWA.net. “Only one blue card (Friesen for a slide tackle even though he was standing the whole time) and only three fouls called against Pumas. Both teams played it clean, not many fouls overall maybe five or six to Fire. Fire had two blue cards. Refs did award a shootout to Pumas (a Fire defender had a hold of a Pumas jersey in the box) , the attempt was stopped but did not give a power play as a result of the missed attempt.”

Matt Friesen netted a hat trick for Kitsap. Kyle Johnson scored twice. The Pumas led 3:0 before the Fire could answer back. It was 5:1 at the half and 6:2 when the Pumas ran away. The Fire decided the only way back was to pull their goalkeeper with about seven minutes left. Kitsap added three more goals after the tactical move. The match drew a crowd of 266.

The clubs played an 8:7 thriller in the regular season and this time with the season at stake it again was the Rapids leading much of the way in a tight content. South Sound tied it at 3:3 but just before the half the Rapids took back the advantage 4:3. It was 4:4 in the third quarter and then right away WSA took it back 5:4. The Rapids were up 6:4 when a series of power-plays aided the Shock comeback. It was 7:6 WSA with about three minutes to go when Derek Johnson picked the right time to score his only goal of the match. His shot tied it up for the Shock.

In the shootout, which directly followed regulation play, WSA’s attemtps saw Kellan Brown’s shot blocked by Anderson, Thomas Kaufman score an amazing volley, Mark Lackey’s goal saved by Anderson. There was controversy over the referee decision on the Rapids’ last attempt.

The Shock’s PK tries went this way: Derek Johnson goal scored on a second effort header but it was disallowed due to a foul call, Taylor Jackson scored, and Joey Gjertsen scored the game-winner that sent the crowd going crazy and the players mugging each other on the pitch.

Wilson Tsoi captured the Shock joy after PK’s. See below. Tsoi will have a match gallery up soon on goalWA.net.

Two of the pictures David used in this post are from the final penalty kick for the Rapids. Anderson and Lackey battled, Anderson kept knocking it away and Lackey would recover and take another attempt. Lackey finally knocked it past Anderson but time had expired and the refs waved it off. The Rapids thought he got the goal before time expired or at least wanted a foul on Anderson. None was granted.

The Derek Johnson disallowed goal was equally as controversial. Pollack made a great save and popped the ball into the air, both guys went up for it with Johnson heading it into the goal. But the refs waved it off and called a foul on Johnson. This picture didn’t turn out, but you can see the crazy effort that both gave on the attempt…. http://olysports.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/shockrapids_8727_edited-1.jpg